Folding mattress-support.



W. H. JONES. FOLDING MATTRESS SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1912.

Patented Sept; 17, 1912.

[PL/227255555: a 276 V4 WILLIAM H. JONES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FOLDING- MATTRESS-SUPPORT.

To all whom it may concern Be'it known that I, WILLIAMH. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a. certain new and useful Improvement in FoldingMattress-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the general sub ject of beds and has for its general object the provision of a new and improved mattress support.

More specifically the objects of the invention may be stated as: the provision of a mattress support which can be more cheaply manufactured than those hitherto in use and that can be easily and inexpensively replaced or repaired in case of need; the provision of a device of this character which can be easily kept clean and maintained in sanitary condition; the provision of a. device of this character which can be easily folded into small compass for purposes of transportation or storage and which will be entirely stiff and serviceable when arranged in condition for use; the provision of a device of great comfort; while other objects and advantages will become apparent in the course of the following description and claims.

Generally speaking, my invent-ion may be defined as consisting of the constructions and combinations of parts recited in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming a-part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete assembled device, a portion of the textile sheet being removed to illustrate the construction of parts beneath; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail view of one corner of the device drawn to larger scale and showing the various parts disconnected; Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the parts in assembled relation; and Fig. 5 is a detail transverse crosssectional View of a corner of my improved mattress support showing the same in connection with the side-rail of the bedstead.

Describing the parts by reference characters, 11 represent the and members of my improved mattress support, the same preferably consisting of angle irons having vertical sides and horizontal base flanges. These base flanges are shownat 2-2 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patcnted Eaept. 17 1912.

Application filed May 2-4, 1912. Serial No. 699,518.

extend toward each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Secured to each end of each of these flanges as by rivets 3 is a socket meming leg 7, the lower end of which is formed with a foot portion 8 and heel 9, the same being designed for application to the side rail 10 of a bedstead in the manner shown in Fig. 5. The leg 7 is preferably disposed substantially in line with the socket member 1 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 1.

The side rails of my improved mattress support are shown at 12 and preferably comprise metallic tubes having secured in their ends in any suitable manner as by pinning or brazing, the curved attaching arms 1-3. Each of these arms has at one end a cylindrical shank 14: received in the tube and at the other end a prismatic downturned plug 15 adapted to fit snugly in the recess 5. The end provided with the shank is preferably offset a considerable distance below the end having the plug as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and to the upper end of each is rigidly attached the end of a flexible metal strap 16, the opposite end of which is attached to a similar portion of the arm at the opposite end of the same side rail.

For the purpose of stiffening the mattress support I pivot adjacent to one end of each of the straps 16 a second elastic metal strap 17, the free end whereof is turned over in the form of a book as shown at 18 adapted to embrace the strap 16 at the other side of the support. The portion 18 is preferably deflected inwardly at its extremity as-illustrated at 19 so as to cause it to clasp tightly the opposite side of the strap 16. Above these straps is stretched a sheet 20 of strong textile material, such as canvas, saidsheet preferably having its ends reinforced as by metallic strips 21 riveted thereto, and each of these strips is secured to the adjacent end member 1 by means of a plurality of spaced spiral springs 22, the upper edge of the members 1 being perforated at intervals for the reception of the hooked ends of these springs.

When the parts have been assembled as above described it will be found that a very firm and secure mattress support is obtained. The engagement of the plugs 15 with their respective socket members is very firm, particularly in case the plug be made slightly tapering as shown, and this firmness is still further increased by the effect of the tension actingupon the upper edges of the end members which tends to rock these members so as to cause the sockets to bind yet more securely upon the plug. Likewise the engagement between the hooks 18 and the straps 16 is very secure from the fact that any movement tending to separate the two will be found to twistslightly the straps 16 thereby increasing still further the security of the engagement. Likewise it will be seen that the straps l6 reinforce the edges of the sheet so as to prevent tearing or undue stretching of the same by a localized strain thereon, as by 'the weight of a person sitting on the edge of a bed, while the diagonal strips reinforce the center thereof so as to prevent the unsightly and objectionable sagging of the middle of the mattress so frequently observed. The textile sheet is easily removed for purposes of airing or washing and can cheaply be replaced when worn. It, will also be found to produce less wear upon the mattress than the metallic fabrics now in use. 7

While I have necessarily described my invention in detail, I do not propose to be limited to such details except as the same may be positively included in the claims hereto annexed or may be rendered necessary by the prior state of the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a rectangular frame, the side members of which have resilient upper portions, of a rectangular web of textile material resiliently secured to the end mem-- bers of said frame and overlying the resilient portion of said side members, and resilient members secured to the resilient por- 2. In a folding mattress support, the

combination, with end members and side members and means for detachably securing said members together whereby a rectangular frame is formed, said side members being formed with resilient upper portions, of a rectangular web of textile material stretched above said resilient portions, and yielding means for securing said web to the end members of said frame.

3. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with end members and side members and means for detachably securing said members together whereby a rectangular frame is formed, of elastic metallic strips QCllltd to each of said side members and extending diagonallyzacrosssaid support and detachably engaging the other side member, a rectangular web of textile material above said diagonal strips, and means for securing the ends of said web to oppositev ends of said frame.

4. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with end members and side-members, certain of said members having vertical sockets and other members having plugs received in said sockets for detachably securing said members together whereby a rectangular frame is formed, of elastic metallic strips secured toeach of said side members and extending diagonally across said support and detachably engaging the other side member, a rectangular web of textile material above said diagonal strips,

and yielding means secured to said web and detachably connected to opposite ends of said frame.

5. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with rigid end members and rigid side members and means for detachably securing said members together whereby a rectangular frame is formed, the midportion of each of side members being offset downwardly out of the plane of each of said end members, of elastic metallic straps secured to the ends of said side members and lying substantially in the plane of said end 1 6. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with end members and side mem bers, of upwardly opening prismatic socket members secured to said end members, arms secured to the ends of said side members, and having downwardly turned prismatic plugs adapted to fit in said sockets, diagonal braces extending from each side member to the other side member, and a textile web having its ends yieldingly attached to said end members.

7. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with end members and side members, of upwardly opening socket members secured to said end members, arms secured to the ends of said side members, and having downwardly turned plugs adapted to fit in i said side members and adapted to be attached to the other side members whereby said frame is stiffened, a rectangular web of textile material, and means for resiliently securing the ends of said web to said end pieces.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a pair of rigid end members having I upright non-circular sockets adjacent to their ends, of a pair of rigid side members having posts adapted to enter'said sockets, each of said side members having its middle portion olfset downwardly from the plane of its ends, a yielding metallic strip connecting the ends of said side members and adapted to lie sub stantially in the plane of the upper edges of said end members when the same are assembled, a rectangular web of textile material, and extensible tension members adapted to secure the ends of said web to said end pieces, the point of attachment of V said'tension members to said end members being above the plane of said sockets.

10. In a folding mattress support, the combination, with end members having up" wardly extending webs and horizontal flanges, of upwardly opening socket members secured to said flanges and having lateral extensions embracing said flanges and terminating in downwardly projecting legs, the lower ends of which are formed to engage the side rails of a bed, side members having downwardly extending plugs at their ends adapted to enter said sockets, and .a web of textile material yieldingly attached to the webs of said end members.

11. In a folding mattress support, the combinatiomwith a side member having at each end an upwardly deflected arm, the outer ends of which are formed with downwardly projecting plugs, of an elastic met-a1 strip having its opposite ends attached to the upper portion of each pair of said arms, and a pair of end members having upwardly opening sockets adapted to receive said plugs and also having feet for engaging the side rail of the bed, elastic diagonal braces secured to each of said side members and detachably engaging the other side member, a textile Web overlying said side members and braces, and means yieldingly connecting the ends of said web to said end members.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. JONES.

Witnesses:

HAROLD E. SMITH, BRENNAN B. WEST. 

